bigelow



(No Model.) I Q D. J. BIGELOW.

REGLINING CHAIR.

No. 564,361. Patented July 21 1896.

UNITED STATES DON J. BIGELOW, OF MEDINA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE S. A. COOK PATENT OFFICE.

& COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

RECLlNlNG-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,361, dated July 21, 1896.

Application filed A t 16, 1895. Serial No. 559,439. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DON J. BIGELOW, a citizen of the United States,\residing at Medina, in the county of Orleans and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Reclining-Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to reclining-chairs which are provided-with means for adjusting the back to different inclinations and with a spring or springs for returning the chair-back and the arm-rests connected therewith to their normal position when an ordinary armchair is desired.

My invention has for its object to provide the chair with a compact and effective returnspring of this character which is concealed from view, so as to render the chair more sightly in appearance.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a reclining-chair provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the chairseat, the return-spring, and the adjacent front supporting arm or link of the arm-rest, the parts being viewed from the inner side of said link. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section in line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of one of the plates whereby the returnsprings are connected with the supportinglinks of the arm-rests.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the stationary base of the chair, and B the seat, which may be supported on the base in any suitable manner. In the construction shown in the drawings the seat is provided with front and rear legs or downward extensions B B and is suspended from the upper longitudinal bars A of the base by hangers C, so as to be capable of rocking back and forth.

D is the chair-back, which is pivoted by horizontal pins (1 to the rear end of the seat,

so that the same can be tilted into a more or less inclined position in a wellknown manner. I

E represents one of the horizontal arm-rests, which is pivoted at its rear end to the adjacent edge of the chaii back, as shown at e, and

which is hinged or pivoted near its front end to the upper end of a supporting arm or link F, as shown at f. is pivoted to the adjacent side of the seatframe by a horizontal pin or screw f. These connections between the arm-rests and the seat cause thearm-rests to rise and fall with the chair-back and maintain a substantially horizontal position in the various adjustments of the chair, in a well-known manner.

G represents one of the usual adjustable braces whereby the chair-back and connecting parts are retained in position after adj ustment. This brace is pivoted at its upper end to the adjacent supporting-link F, while its lower portion is provided with a longitudinal slot g, through which passes a clamping-bolt or set-screw h, secured to the side of the seatframe. Upon loosening the set-screws of the two braces on opposite sides of the chair the chair-back can be tilted to any desired position, and after adjusting it the clampingscrews are again tightened.

I represents one of the return-springs, whereby the chair back is automatically moved forward or returned to its normal upright position when the inclined braces are released. This spring is arranged in an upright recess or cavity J, formed in the inner side of the adjacent front leg B of the seat, and'is connected at its lower end to theleg and at its upper end to the supporting-link F on the front side of the lower pivot thereof, so that the spring tends to swing the link and connecting parts forwardly. The lower end of the spring is preferably connected with the seat-leg by an upright plate 10, secured to the lower inner side of the leg and having an opening which receives the lower eye of the spring, while its upper end is connected with the supporting-link F by an upright plate or disk L, secured to the inner side of the hub of the link and having a hook Z, with which the upper eye of the spring is engaged, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, said hook being arranged on the front side of the link-pivot. The seat is recessed or slotted on its under side adjacent to the hub of the support-inglink, as shown at m, for receiving the hook Z of the link and the upper eye of the spring The lower end of this link and aifording the necessary play of the hook and the upper portion of the spring in adj ustin g the chair.

It will be understood that the arm-rest, its supporting-link and the inclined brace shown in Fig.1, and the return-spring shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are duplicated on the opposite side of the chair. Upon loosening the inclined braces and swinging the chair-back into a more or less inclined position the supportinglinks of the arm-rests are caused to take part inthis backward movement, and as the return-sprin gs are connected with the links on the front side of their pivots the springs are distended, so that upon releasing the chairback, when in this position, the springs react and swing the links forward, thereby drawing the chainback in the same direction through the medium of the arm-rests and returning it to its normal or substantially upright position. As the return-springs are located 011 the inner sides of the seat-legs, they are invisible from the outer side of the chair and do not therefore render it unsightly, as do springs which are exposed. This construction is, moreover, very neat and compact, and the springs exert their force in an effective manner.

I claim as my invention-- The combination with the chair-seat having a leg or downward extension provided on its inner side with a recess or cavity, of the pivoted chair-back, the pivoted arm-rests, the supporting-links connecting the front portions of the arm-rests with the chair-seat, and a return-spring arranged in the recess of said leg or extension and connected at one end with said leg and having its opposite end connected with the adjacent supportingdink on the front side of the pivot of the latter, substantially as set forth.

\Vitness my hand this 18th day of July,1895.

DON J. BIGELOYV. Witnesses:

E. G. DAVIS, GEORGE J. LUND. 

